ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fine — all right
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. roll — a cake
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. sharp — clever
  12. charge — a price
  13. fine — high quality
  14. tube — a container
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. roll — a list
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. drill — a practice
  19. charge — in control
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tube — the underground
  22. drill — army training
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. tube — in a tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com